Troy Deeney makes wild claim about Virgil van Dijk following Anthony Gordon red card
Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney sparked debate on Monday night after making a controversial remark about Virgil van Dijk during Liverpool’s fiery clash with Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Deeney, who was on punditry duty for talkSPORT, weighed in on the game’s major talking point – Anthony Gordon’s dismissal just before the half-time whistle. The England international flew into a reckless challenge on Liverpool captain Van Dijk as he pressed aggressively high up the pitch. Referee Simon Hooper initially reached for a yellow card, seemingly viewing the tackle as mistimed but not malicious.
However, with VAR advising him to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, Hooper changed his decision to a straight red card. The call left Newcastle a man down with the entire second half still to play, a significant setback in a contest that was already fiercely competitive.
Most observers, both inside the ground and in the wider footballing community, sided with the referee’s ultimate judgment. Pundits, fans, and even Newcastle’s own club legend Alan Shearer agreed that Gordon had overstepped the line. Shearer, posting on social media platform X, was blunt in his assessment:
“What a stupid challenge, man. It’s a red card all day.”
Arsenal great Thierry Henry, who was covering the game for Sky Sports, echoed those sentiments. “At the time it happened, I said it was a red,” Henry explained. “Why put yourself in this situation? He [Gordon] got caught up in the emotion of the game, but you can’t argue with the decision.”
Yet, Deeney saw things differently. In his view, Van Dijk was not just the victim of Gordon’s rash tackle but an active participant in how the outcome unfolded. The former Watford forward suggested the Dutch defender used his experience and nous to ensure VAR gave the incident extra scrutiny.
“Virgil van Dijk has played a cute one as well,” Deeney argued. “He went down two or three times to make sure that VAR had a look at it. You can’t argue too much, because Gordon wasn’t in control of the pace or the tempo of the tackle. But I’ve been there as a striker – sometimes you just want to get the crowd onside, put yourself about a bit. Gordon thought, ‘I’ll leave a little bit on him here,’ and it’s backfired.”
Deeney went further, empathising with the young winger’s state of mind after being sent off. He painted the picture of Gordon’s lonely walk back to the dressing room, the realisation sinking in that he had let down both his teammates and the fans.
“That lonely moment when you’re sat in the dressing room on your own, it hits you,” Deeney added. “You start thinking, ‘Oh my God, what have I done? Everyone’s going to be hating me now.’ It’s the worst feeling.”
The incident has since divided opinion. While the overwhelming consensus is that Gordon’s dismissal was justified, Deeney’s comments have highlighted the subtle, often under-discussed side of elite football – the gamesmanship and psychological battles that exist within the 90 minutes. For some, Van Dijk simply did what top-level defenders are expected to do: use their experience to protect themselves and influence the outcome. For others, Gordon’s impetuosity alone was enough to seal his fate.
Either way, the debate sparked by the red card ensured that the match was remembered as much for its controversy as for the football on display.